Zipper

"Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men" was a magazine published from 1971 through at least late 1973 in Hollywood. It had a blend of entertainment news, including interviews with major figures, and articles focusing on men, and on adolescent males. For example, one pictorial feature in the June-July 1972 issue was "Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Peter Glawson (Young Star of The Genesis Children)" when Mr. Glawson was about 16. The magazine was able to garner interviews with such mainstream stars as Paul Newman, B.B. King, Rock Hudson, and Roddy McDowell.

Zipper's office was located at the Crossroads Of The World office complex in Hollywood, as was the office of Lyric International. That, along with the large amount of space that Zipper devoted to Lyric's projects; the use of four photos credited to Billy Byars in Vol 2 #1; and the number of ads in the magazine purchased by Lyric; all suggest that Zipper too may have been owned by Billy Byars, Jr. The disappearance at the same time as the 1973 Lyric scandal would also support that, though young magazines frequently vanish. The pseudonymous editorial staff, Bill R. F. Cook and Carl Driver, is another clue.

The magazine is a relic of a lost time of if not respectability than at least co-existence. It can be found in a few university libraries, generally in gay literature collections. Worldcat indicates no library with a complete run.

Publication History

The Jan/Feb 1972 issue was labeled Vol 2, Number 1, and the December 1971 issue has the cover logo in a different typeface than the other known issues, suggesting a late 1971 origin for the magazine. Library catalogs (Yale, Cornell) list the 1971 issue as "Zia/Zipper". The October, 1973 issue is known.

The magazine's format was 8.5" x 11" (28 cm high), and issues were either 64 or 80 pages in the cataloged editions. Covers were two colors, black plus another color which varied between issues.

At least two later magazines, one in Japan devoted to women's fashion, and one in London with a homosexual focus, have used the same title.

Rarity

Worldcat finds scattered copies of the magazine in university collections. The Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has Vol. 1 issue 1 (1971); Vol 2 issues 1-3 (1972); Vol 3 issues 2 and 5-7 (1973). Yale University houses its six copies in the rare book collection, and indicates that the sole 1971 issue bore the title "Zia Zipper". Cornell's sole edition, "Zia Zipper" is also in its rare book collection. UC Davis has 9-10 copies of six issues. UC Davis catalogs Vol. 1 issue 1 separately as "Zia Zipper". Tim in Vermont's online Vintage Physique Photography site has the first two issues, as well as later magazines that used the same title.

Tables of contents and articles of interest

What is most interesting about the magazine is not isolated articles, which out of context are indistinguishable from articles in magazines sold at the time under the counter or mailed in plain wrappers. Rather it is the publishing of nude, albeit "tasteful", photos of minors along with articles that would be right at home in any gossip magazine on the newsstand today.

Bolerium Books offers three issues for sale online through Abe Books, including cover scans and some descriptive text, quoted below.

As the magazine is difficult to encounter, here are complete tables of contents from six issues, found in an eBay listing and another online offering:

Zia/Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (December 1971, Vol 1 # 1)

Reviews

• Boys in the Band

Articles

• Stud West Contest
• Rev. Troy Perry, Big As Life
• Donovan Interview
• Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
• Ultra Violet Interview

Pictorials

• Naked Beach: San Francisco's B.A. Beach
• Man: A Photo Study by Fotoflair

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (February 1972, Vol 2 # 1)

"64p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including Mr. February centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Rick Nelson, B.B. King, Elton John and Art vs. Porn."

Reviews

• A Clockwork Orange

Articles

• Rick Nelson
• Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
• B.B. King Interview
• Elton John Interview

Pictorials

• Brian Reynolds (Actor/Model)
• Photographer of the Month: Billy Byars
• Zipper's Playboy of the Month: John Henderson
• I Left My Heart in San Francisco
• Art vs. Pornography

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (April 1972, Vol 2 # 2)

April 1972 cover

"80p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Ted Neeley, star of "Tommy" "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Hair", Rod Stewart and "The Last Picture Show"." Reviews

• 'Tommy' (the Rock Opera) Breaks with Tradition
• David Cassidy's Album "Cherish"
• The Film Comes of Age - "The Last Picture Show"

Articles

• Ted Neeley (star of 'Tommy') Interview
• The Who - Pete Townsend Interview
• Rod Stewart Interview
• The Zipper Advisor: Church that Will Marry Two Men?
• Hollywood Hotline (gossip) by Sparkle Plenty
• One God for Homosexuals and Heterosexuals

Pictorials

• Black/White by Fotoflair, Inc.
• Zipper's Playboy of the Month: Chad Martin
• There's A Girl in My Box
• Every Picture Tells A Story
• Poetry
• Ode to Kenny by David Morgan
• Never Fall in Love by Alan King

Zipper: Art/Entertainment For Men (May 1972, Vol 2 #3)

"80p., 8.5x11 inches, b&w photos, some nude including centerfold pullout, ads, interviews, reviews, articles, very good gay male's entertainment magazine in stapled pictorial wraps. Cover stories on Leon Russell, Roddy McDowell, & Barbara Streisand." Articles

• Leon Russell (rock star) Interview
• Cock Rock: Marc Bolan of T. Rex
• Roddy McDowell Interview (focus on role in Planet of the Apes)
• Barbra Streisand article: Angelina Scarangela
• What's Up in San Francisco
• Charlie Steals the Show: Chaplin's Academy Award

Pictorials

• Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Walter E. Christian
• Prometheus Bound
• Zipper Fashion Fling (photospread)
• The Ray Daniels Boy
• Iowa's Own
• Around the World in Pictures

Zipper: Art and Entertainment (June-July 1972 Vol 2 #6/7)

" A high quality, glossy stapled Newsweek-size magazine containing 80 pages including front and rear covers. Containing articles, columns, reviews, beefcake photographs, illustrations and vintage ads geared for the gay male community."

Articles

• Paul Newman Interview (with two photos)
• Robert Kennedy: Case Closed?
• Grin and Bear It-Disney Bears
• Interview with aspiring actor Bob Kurston (with two photos)
• Jon Voight, then appearing in the recently-released film "Midnight Cowboy" (with one photo)

Reviews

• Ballet Review: Los Angeles Ballet Society
• Film Review: The Genesis Children, with nine very tasteful photographs)
• Film Review: Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
• Theatre Review: Dirtiest Show In Town (with three tasteful photos)

Pictorials

• San Francisco Updates Embarcadero (Architecture)(five photos)
• Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Peter Glawson (Young Star of "The Genesis Children") exclusive telephone interview with six tasteful photos, including centerfold
• International Boys Camp photo/essayconceived by Billy Byars, the slogan of which was "Understand each other's sameness; enjoy each other's uniqueness" founded in Paris in 1970 (with four photos)
• Belgian Belle
• The Mosier Boy
• full-page advertisement for the International Boys Camp

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men - Freedom Issue (Vol 3 # 2/3/4)

"published by Bill R. F. Cook and Zipper Enterprises out of Hollywood, California. A high quality, glossy stapled Newsweek-size magazine containing 64 pages including front and rear covers."

Zipper: Art and Entertainment For Men - Liberty Issue (October 1973 Vol 3 # 5/6/7)

Reviews

• Columbia Records Presents A Week to Remember - An Extraordinary Music Festival

Articles

• Zipper Advisor - Self Help Through Modern Hypnosis
• What's in a Name? The Importance of Being Rock Hudson
• Rock Hudson Interview
• Carl Greenberg: A Byline of Distinction
• Captain Beyond-6-Member Rock Band
• Happiness & Success Through Principle

Pictorials

• The Men - David Selby, Bob Kurston, David Bronnenberg, Jay North (Dennis the Menace), Brian O'Dowd, Tom Clarke
• Zipper's Roommate of the Month: Captain Beyond
• Zipper Salutes: Genya Ravan
• New Orleans: A Photo Essay
• The Women - Kay Dennis, Casey Lorrain, Ann Dee, Mary Travers, Roberta Flack, Mama Lion, Betty Whitley
• Zipper Salutes: Richard Caruso